For the second straight week, DJ Principe etched his name in the record books. And for the second straight week, it was his former teammate Jack Salisbury's mark that he erased.
The La Salle Academy senior posted a near nation No. 1 in the 1,000-meter run during the second and final day of the Dartmouth Relays on Saturday. Principe broke away from the field quickly and won with a new meet record of 2:27.86, a little more than a half second under Salisbury's previous record of 2:28.40. His time also is the second fastest in the country so far. Virginia's Brandon McGorty of Chantilly ranks No. 1 at 2:26.87.
Last Saturday, Principe establish the state mile record with a 4:04.47 at a BU Mini Meet.
The Rams, who captured the team title with a 63-55 victory over second-place Bishop Hendricken, also earned victories from their 4x200m and 4x800m relay squads. In the shorter event, La Salle beat Hendricken with a time of 1:33.41 to the Hawks' 1:33.86 effort. The Rams were anchored by Principe in the 4x800m where they were timed in 8:13.60.
Rhode Island athletes had four other victories on Saturday. Portsmouth's Nikki Merrill captured the 800m with an all-time best of 2:16.44 (US #5). In the weight throw, Bishop Hendricken's Abraham Salako won the boys' crown with a toss of 60-10.25 and Ponaganset's Gianna Rao took the girls' title with a personal-best heave of 58-10.
La Salle took the girls' 4x800m with a fast 9:44.15 clocking (US #15).
Other top performances included Toll Gate's Nikolas Reygades in the 800 (second, 2:00.73), Hendricken's Harry Antone in the 600m (third, 1:23.72), La Salle's Tyler Lamonte in the 400m (second, 52.64), La Salle's Sam Colman in the 55m (second, 6.50) and 300m (fourth, 35.72), Barrington's Mars Bishop in the mile (third, 4:23.06) and La Salle's Emily Kane in the mile (third, 5:04.44).